"JES" 2003 Obituary

JESION o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-10-15 published
Global advocate for workers' rights
His activism in Canada spanned three decades, but labour leader
also brought his message of education and social justice to Europe,
Russia and Latin America
By Allison
LAWLOR,
Special to The Globe and Mail, Wednesday,
October 15, 2003 - Page R7
When Dan BENEDICT set out to work in the machine shop of an aircraft-engine
factory in Lynn, Massachusetts., in the 1930s, his goal was to
connect with the workers there. For the fresh university graduate,
the move was a political statement and the beginning of what
would become a lifetime spent advocating for workers' rights,
education and greater social justice both in Canada and around
the world.
"He was driven by his commitment to justice," said his son, Stephen
BENEDICT, who is a member of Canadian Auto Workers Local 112
and director of the Canadian Labour Congress's international
department. "He was almost single-minded about that. It was almost
the only thing he cared about."
Last month at a Labour Day event in Ottawa, Daniel
BENEDICT,
a retired Canadian Auto Workers staff representative, was honoured
for his pioneering efforts in the labour movement. That day he
continued his advocacy work by giving an impassioned speech about
future generations.
Afterward, a group of kids gathered around, eager to teach him
the latest cool handshakes, Stephen
BENEDICT said. "He was always
more interested in talking about the future than the past," he
said. "He would want to be remembered as someone who cared about
the future."
On September 16, just four days before his 86th birthday, the
outspoken advocate died in an Ottawa hospital. He had been diagnosed
with both colon and liver cancer.
Mr. BENEDICT's lifelong work was recognized in October, 1998,
when he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada. Part of
his citation reads: "He has devoted a lifetime to the labour
movement. He has advised prominent international trade-union
leaders in Canada, the United States and Europe, and represented
labour on various panels and commissions sponsored by the United
Nations' International Labour Organization."
But for the Canadian Auto Workers, his crowning achievement was
the Paid Education Leave Program, which he developed and implemented
in the late 1970s. (The union was then the United Auto Workers-Canada).
The program is still considered the largest adult-education program
for working people in Canada, according to the Canadian Auto
Workers, and one that is admired by trade unions worldwide.
The program, which now offers courses one-to-four weeks in duration
and covering topics such as collective bargaining, human rights
and workplace reorganization, highlighted Mr.
BENEDICT's belief
that education is needed to allow workers to build skills that
would then help them to create a more just society.
"He had an incredible respect for workers' intellect," said Bob
WHITE/WHYTE, former president of the Canadian Auto Workers and the
Canadian Labour Congress. "He was a great educationalist."
Born on September 20, 1917, in New York, Daniel
BENEDICT was
the only child of Blanche
BENEDICT and Joseph
KAISER, who worked
as a salesman. Not long after he was born, his mother died of
the Spanish flu and he was left to be raised largely by his grandmother
(and he later took his mother's maiden name).
By the age of 14 he had enrolled in university, and later joked
that his grandmother had sent him there while he was still in
short pants. While in university, Mr.
BENEDICT's social activism
was awakened, and after graduation he went off to work in a Massachusetts
factory that produced military aircraft engines.
On the plant floor, he was vocal and rallied for workers' rights.
But when the war broke out, he left the factory and enlisted
in the U.S. Air Force. He was sent overseas as a flight engineer
and spent much of his four years of military service in Europe.
It was on the Mediterranean island of Corsica at a ball held
for the liberating troops that Mr.
BENEDICT met his future wife,
Micheline. In 1947, the couple married in Corsica, despite the
pleadings of her father, who didn't want his daughter near any
Americans.
Following the war, Mr.
BENEDICT returned to Europe after being
decommissioned, and spent four years working with Cooperative
for American Relief Everywhere, Inc., the international humanitarian
organization, helping Europeans recover from the devastating
effects of the war.
He returned to the United States to work with labour leader Walter
REUTHER at the Congress of Industrial Organizations, and then
worked in Mexico with the regional organization of the International
Confederation of Free Trade Unions.
Mr. BENEDICT's career also took him to Brazil, where he worked
for the International Metalworkers Federation, covering Latin
America. He took part in worker education in the region and instructed
union leaders on industrial relations. During the 1950s and 1960s,
he also helped local unions devise strategies to deal with repressive
military regimes in their countries.
Mr. White said.
He later became assistant general secretary of the International
Metalworkers' Federation, and moved his family to Geneva, where
he became a familiar figure as a labour representative on various
panels and commissions sponsored by the United Nations' International
Labour Organization.
"Dan was an outstanding international trade unionist," who was
held in high regard both at home and around the world, Mr.
WHITE/WHYTE
said.
In the late 1970s, Dan
BENEDICT moved to Canada and joined what
was then the United Auto Workers-Canada, the forerunner to the
Canadian Auto Workers. He soon became a Canadian citizen, and
was a passionate defender of the country.
A love of linguistics and a desire to communicate with others
translated into Mr.
BENEDICT learning nearly a dozen languages,
including French, Spanish and German, as well as some Finnish
and Hungarian. Most recently, he was learning Russian and Mongolian.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, Mr.
BENEDICT travelled to
Russia, Belarus and Ukraine to help build independent trade unions.
He had also been in Mongolia working with a union representing
sheep herders.
A BENEDICT family story traces Mr.
BENEDICT's gift for languages
back to his childhood bout of jaundice. At the time, he wasn't
allowed to read because he was told it would weaken his eyes
so instead he was left to entertain himself with a stamp collection.
Among his collection were some Russian stamps with which he taught
himself the Cyrillic alphabet.
After retiring from the United Auto Workers-Canada in 1982, Mr.
BENEDICT continued to travel the world and teach wherever the
opportunity arose. Having earned a doctoral degree in economics
from France's Grenoble University, he taught for a time in the
sociology and political-science departments at York University
in Toronto, and was affiliated with the industrial-relations
departments at McMaster, Laval and Concordia universities.
As a senior citizen, he advocated for seniors' groups on a wide
range of issues, from soaring drug costs to nursing-care cutbacks,
and served as chair of the Ontario Coalition of Senior Citizens'
Organizations. He frequently spoke at rallies and conferences
and could often be found at peace marches or protests.
"He had a tremendous amount of energy," said Morris
JESION, the
coalition's executive director.
While in his early 80s, Mr.
BENEDICT was still working on a history
of auto workers in Canada. The endeavour resulted in reams of
research material and a 3,000-page manuscript. The wealth of
material is tucked away in stacks of boxes in the garage of his
Ottawa home.
Mr. BENEDICT leaves his wife, Micheline, their two daughters,
Marie-Blanche and Francesca, son Stephen and four grandchildren.

JESSUP o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-09-08 published
INGLE,
NitaM. (née
GUILBAULT)
Died peacefully surrounded by family at Toronto General Hospital
on Friday September 5, 2003, in her 76th year. Nita is survived
by husband Lorne
INGLE; children Richard
JESSUP, Pat Penner (Tim),
Berta JESSUP-
RAMSAY (Rob), Barb
JESSUP-
GENEST (Paul), Bill
JESSUP
(Brenda,) and step-children Barb
STROHBACH
(Herb,)
MargotINGLE
(Jack Hayes,) and Roger
INGLE
(Shiela.)
Nita will also be lovingly
remembered by 13 grandchildren. Following her career as a special
education teacher, Nita's concern and desire to help others continued
through her participation and leadership in volunteer organizations.
Nita's love of life and laughter will be missed by all. In accordance
with her wishes there will be no service. A celebration of Nita's
life will be held at a later date. The family wishes to express
sincere thanks to Karen, May and the staff at The Briton House
for their support and assistance. If desired memorial donations
may be made to a charity of your choice.